National Organic Program Retains Some Synthetic Substances For Use In Organic Farming

Organic farmers can continue using certain synthetic substances in production and handling of organic crops, according to a final rule published by the National Organic Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The list of synthetic substances includes ferric phosphate used as slug or snail bait, hydrogen chloride for removing lint from cotton seed for planting, and egg white lysozyme. These substances were supposed to sunset in 2011 under the sunset provisions of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, but the National Organic Standards Board recommended their continued use in organic farming.